Politics- Political and Electoral Reform

October 12, 2019

Politics – Political and Electoral Reform 

Padmini Arhant

Those who sell their SOUL would have no problem selling anything whether it be nation they lead rather mislead into economic ditch or destiny of the population electing them as the head of the state and representatives of every constituency.

Politics is nothing more than theatrics and accordingly the strong relation between entertainment world and politics instrumental in distracting public from reality evading transparency and accountability using scapegoat on their indefensible economic debacles.

Today’s regimes in control of affairs need to acknowledge own follies, shortcomings and acutely deficient skills to deal with challenges created by them.

There is one thing about hogging undeserving glory through event management at ordinary lives expense. There is yet entirely another dimension demanding glory hogging and publicity starved personalities to live up to the grandiose image marketing miserably falling short in credibility and integrity.

Election anywhere is meaningful and purposeful unless the electoral process meet the following criteria.

1. Eliminate electronic voting machine or EVM and substitute with manual voting accompanied by verifiable voter paper audit trail VVPAT providing every voter casting vote receipt with confirmation of candidate, political party and any legislation propositions they voted through ballots for individual and national tally on election result day.

EVM is irrefutably proved to be managed with preconfigured software designed to generate election results in major political parties favor.

2. Eradicate black money, slush funds, electoral bonds and campaign financing from personal money laundering and corporations buying candidates and political parties forming corporate run government.

Instead, every voter must demand public financing with a cap in election spending barring negative smear nonsensical campaign advertisements premised on divisive, polarization politics.

Every citizen granting approval through vote insist candidates regardless of political positions from local legislators to the highest as Prime Minister or President only address issues that matter to citizens such as economy, crime in society in national security and measures to improve infrastructure.

3. Boycott rally of any candidacy indulging in delusional politics sowing the seeds of hatred, prejudice, communal and religion…making their way into Parliament or Congress deploying divide and conquer strategy.

4. Abandon celebrity worship and reject political parties as well as candidates fielded on glamor and glitz while miserably lacking in substance and ingenuity.

5. Similarly every voter should remind political members of their constitutional duty and responsibility to fulfill their pledge to serve people of the entire nation not just the rich, famous and powerful in society.

Again  political figures on public funded payroll and benefits are citizens’ employees not rock stars or messiahs as the political trend transformed in the past decade against democratic norm.

6. Every candidate running for public office to submit complete profile and made public with cross verification. Anyone with criminal and corruption record or charges pending trial should be declined by voter seeking clean and honest representation of them in Parliament and Congress. Likewise, deter candidates and legislators proven on corporate and special interests bandwagon and those determined to deter development among underprivileged and disenfranchised demography. 

7. A candidate of any political party including independent candidacy should not be allowed to run in more than one constituency. In facilitating candidate to contest election in two or more constituencies denies others a fair chance enabling the wealthy and any organizations institutions backed candidate and members of political dynasties to retain political power despite their ineligibility evident in other regions of the country. 

8. All candidates and political parties formal and informal funding to be revealed to public prior to election and cross checked by public. The data missing in this context would be a strong indication of sources behind political parties and candidates sponsoring them entirely in their interests not for ordinary citizens or national progress.

9. Shun media and press false propaganda and hyperbolic publicity of candidates and political parties ignoring their legacy and track record to sway public opinion to their preferred candidate’s advantage.

10. Every citizen – the electorate in emerging economies and developing nations in particular should not welcome foreign entities and powerful external forces influence, direct and indirect involvement maintained as tradition thus far to install puppet regimes and proxies to exploit population and extract natural resources in those countries at will.

11. Don’t be misled and misguided by foreign powers pseudo recognition of political leaderships of your nation with coveted honors and awards nearing national election as a blatant intrusion nominating their proxies exclusively for economic and vested interests.

12. Last but not the least, don’t accept bribes in cash or kind from political parties, candidates and their affiliates in disguise luring you to vote for them and in return seize your basic fundamental rights to everything as citizens importantly the economic opportunity and freedom of speech to discuss and debate government failures, actions and inaction concerning people across the spectrum and nation at large.

Every voter need to compare and realize their economic, social and political situation and general environment around them to evaluate government and leaderships performance rather than any other distraction via foreign or domestic solicitation. 

Unless every voter is mindful of the power in their hands to approve or disapprove governance and leaderships beginning at City Council, Municipal, District, State and National level, the status quo would remain leaving the poor the poorest, the selective segments isolated and marginalized as well as average ordinary lives struggling for generations with no end in sight.

Act now and SAY NO to negative, corrupt and counterproductive politics.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.co

 

 

 

 

 

India – Controversial NRC

October 3, 2019

India –   Controversial NRC

Padmini Arhant

The latest political stunt from incumbent BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to deflect national and international attention from India’s declining economy is National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Indian economy is facing enormous challenges with record unemployment, all time low productivity and consumer power combined with slump in all major sectors of the economy from real estate, manufacturing, auto industry to export business reflected in India’s real GDP and poor investor confidence apparent in recent Indian stock market performance.

Amid severe economic woes, the financial and banking crisis is causing more pain similar to   demonetization blow experienced by common citizens in the street with access to public deposits restricted creating panic and legitimate concerns among banking customers largely representing middle and lower economic class.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi government obviously in a bind with no solutions or effective remedy to precipitous economic status contributing to jobless youth frustration, the educated younger generation unable to find any job let alone suitable employment in their respective or desired occupation.

Small medium businesses are not the only ones affected, the bigger entrepreneurs are also feeling the bite and expressed grievance in the contemporary economy under much touted PM Narendra Modi 2.0 second term.

Instead of addressing the ailing economy, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah Sarkar or government tactfully engaged in diverting public focus from reality to a political camouflage staging the wanton communal crackdown on the weak, vulnerable and much targeted segments in society with the launching of National Register of Citizens or NRC.

The politically motivated move generating hype and hysteria against those branded as political and economic refugees in North Eastern India like Assam in particular though the policy is widespread and implemented nationwide to promote RSS’s Hindutva  ideology.

NRC is designed to isolate and disenfranchise BJP’s selective demography and religion viz. Islam and Christians besides so-called Hindu lower castes among other groups from certain regions within Indian sub-continent such as migrants from Myanmar or Sri Lankan Tamils regardless of their religious affiliation as Hindu, Muslim, Buddhists or any other faith.

BJP’s strong Hindutva doctrine corral upper castes Hindus within and outside India firmly affirming the anti-democratic path towards Hindu Rashtra or Hindu Nationalism imposing Hindu majority statehood with little or no consideration and thoughts on such acrimonious and impulsive communal paradigm.

The strange and bizarre fact being those behind Islamophobia fervor and suggesting anyone with alternative views to migrate to Pakistan or they are labeled a Pakistani while these Hindutva stalwarts are bed fellows with Pakistani establishment and business merchants.

The above enunciated accounts evidenced in PM Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Pakistan to attend Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter’s wedding and not long ago exchanging secret pleasantries with the current Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Furthermore, importantly the trade relations between Indian political class and their clients with Pakistani counterparts even during the phony trade suspension following Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir reeks hypocrisy ad nauseam.

The business activities between Indian and Pakistan’s privileged club never disrupted despite maintaining superficial bitter rivalry to polarize peace seeking Indian and Pakistani mainstream population.

On NRC – the fragmentation is purported to hurt intended groups in society. BJP’s fundamentalism has already driven ignorant idle religious zealots to involve in mob lynching of innocent muslims and so-called Dalits in the country for reasons beyond justification.

The NRC is geared at instigating more chaos and communal unrest.

When the argument is based on proselytism or mass conversion of then Hindu religion  followers to Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and so on, the present overzealous social reformers fail to understand and recognize the main and actual members responsible for the status quo.

These members allowing invasion and occupation of India for centuries by Moghuls from ancient Persia and later the traders adept at producing traitors within India – the Colonial East India Company established as British Raj were invariably the upper castes in India.

Those taking pride as Rajvanshis or from the Indian Royal family – the princely states Raja and Maharaja categorized as Shatriyas (warriors) in the caste hierarchy and their Raj gurus or Ministers predominantly Brahmins had no qualms in accommodating the invaders and occupiers at that time. The trend continued to the moment. 

History is testimony to the fact and these events are prevalent until today that foreign invasion of India made possible by those in power as Kings, Ministers and power brokers as well as business community ( Vaisya in Indian caste system) those days until now.

The proselytization of Hindus to Islam and Christianity etc. squarely falls on upper caste as enumerated above.

Hence, the upper caste descendants retaining powerful positions as members in Parliament and government would be the outcasts for their ancestral treason facilitating and cooperating with then invaders determined by BJP as forces behind proselytization or conversion to Islam or Christianity of large swath of Hindus by force or coercion.

The entire exercise arguably leads to introspection and poignant factor that nothing happens without internal collusion and complicity.

NRC is a political maneuver exacerbating complex socio economic and political environment in Secular India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah investing Indian public money in improving and alleviating India’s economic situation would be wise and worthwhile rather than wasting resources and wealth in unnecessary and detrimental policy viz. NRC.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gandhi Jayanthi – Mahatma Gandhi 150th Birth Anniversary

October 2, 2019

Gandhi Jayanthi

Mahatma Gandhi 150th Birth Anniversary

Padmini Arhant

When the nation was shackled and enslaved by brute force

You came along and instilled the idea of freedom 

When you witnessed prejudice and untouchability by extreme source

You strived to teach unity and equality with hope and wisdom

When you rallied the nation to rise for self-respect and dignity

You created the aura attracting selfless patriots and passionate compatriots

The mass awakening aroused by you and several great souls brought clarity

Many of you as crusaders collectively contributed to birth of free India

Sabarmati ke Santh,  May your legacy last like the sun and the moon on earth!

 

When violence and dominance practiced by authority generated passivity

You taught non-violence and resistance to counter atrocity 

When assaults and killings of innocents justified as way of life 

You reminded the sinners of their sins and there began the strife 

No nation or society could be oppressed without corruption and treason 

The nation stalls with firewalls setting into slow motion or even malfunction

Such predicament prompts the necessity for sane and sensible voice 

You along with other extraordinary martyrs became the ideal choice 

Sabarmati ke Santh,  May your legacy last like the sun and the moon on earth!

 

You expressed fear and felicitations on the prospects of national independence 

The hidden truth since then revealed in internal and external influence on Indian governance

A nation is free and truly democratic only when power commands honesty and integrity

Unfortunately, these requirements in politics has no possibility with allegiance to impropriety

The prevalent dark age or Kaliyuga celebrates and commemorates assassins, divisive destructive elements

How could any nation or population deal with massive fraud and negative fragments?

The worthy, qualified and virtuous are disdained with truth regarded the enemy of calamity

However, the time and tide stop for nothing with the firm belief in progress and prosperity

Sabarmati ke Santh, May your legacy last like the sun and the moon on earth!

 

Your dreams and expectations for a nation you laid your life is still a long way from reality

The rich as the wildly richest, poor the poorest, casteism the permanent scar, religion shrieking as majority

Amid milestones in reaching galaxy, the ordinary continue to suffer and struggle as their destiny

While the priorities are misplaced, the nation straddles with assurance on all being well despite the irony 

Farmers, factory workers, small shop keepers, street vendors, teachers and importantly soldiers denied direct meeting 

Contrarily, celebrities from entertainment, economic sector and especially religious zealots welcomed with warm greeting

Indian Parliament is crowded with industrialists, political heirs, movie and sports stars asserting their fame and fortune

Indian streets, sewage and man holes manual cleaning and maintenance designated to so-called lower caste as their misfortune

Sabarmati Ke Santh, May your legacy last like the sun and the moon on earth!

 

Happy 150th Birth Anniversary BAPU!

May your Soul rest in peace!

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com

 

 

 

 

Sovereign States Constitutional Matter

October 1, 2019

Sovereign States Constitutional Matter

Padmini Arhant

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP government reserving Article 370 removal in Jammu & Kashmir as India’s internal constitutional matter might be received as such and acknowledged by international political class. 

However, How does Prime Minister Narendra Modi justify his decision to intervene in neighbor Nepal’s similar and rather positive development in constitutional amendment declaring Nepal a secular state renouncing the traditional Hindu majority national identity to which India imposed unilateral economic blockade for nearly seven months hurting the weak, poor, vulnerable and mainstream Nepalese population deprived of essential food supplies, medicines and critical trade costing lives and livelihoods in the small developing country, Nepal?

Unlike Jammu & Kashmir situation post Article 370 abrogation by incumbent PM Narendra Modi government, Nepal’s constitutional measure was a progressive step towards inclusion of minority groups and other demography transcending religion, ethnicity and nativity. While India exercising sovereignty on Article 370 action, PM Narendra Modi not recognizing Nepal’s sovereignty to implement constitutional revision and reprimanding the neighbor with severe economic sanction confirms double standard.

When bigger nations assert authority on smaller counterparts for political reasons and simultaneously rebut global citizenry legitimate concerns over the former’s engagement in Jammu & Kashmir albeit India’s union member, the response is anything but convincing or satisfactory.

PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s claims on Jammu & Kashmir that eliminating Article 370 would turn the lives around for the state’s citizens unfortunately and evidently negative from ground reality. When the Central government apparently had so much confidence on their audacious act of revoking Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir to be celebrated by Kashmiris across the spectrum, 

What is the need for extended curfew denying all citizens basic access to survival and health requirements paralyzing existence?

What is the purpose behind detaining state political party prominent members with whom BJP and Congress party at the Center have forged alliance and run state governments in Jammu & Kashmir?

Why is PM Narendra Modi government moving ahead with local city at municipal level election on October 24th under lockdown position in Jammu & Kashmir?

Any democratic nation would provide explanations to all above mentioned circumstances and earnestly strive to relieve the affected citizens from the ongoing duress returning the state to normalcy for the people to continue their lives without any fear, obstacles and threats to their fundamental rights as well as freedom. 

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com